Stuttered confessions
by sweetness4theheart
Summary: Third in the series. Hinata has confessed her love to Naruto and he still hasn't replied. His thoughts and feelings on the matter.


Third in the series. Inspired by the Pein invasion arc that I couldn't stop reading in the manga. Really, I try not to read too far ahead of the anime but I **could not stop myself. **It was like I was possessed. Enjoy!

Stuttered confessions

She confessed to me, in front of everyone.

It's been weeks, months, since we last saw each other. I've been so busy, with Akatsuki and Gaara's death, with training and chasing Sasuke, with Ero-sennin dying. With Jiraiya leaving me forever.

That time when she had fainted in my arms, it was ruined, well not really ruined but it ended prematurely. She had stayed conscious the second time, her mouth opening to speak but Kiba and Akamaru interrupted and I had never known what she was going to say. And now, she was lying on the ground, hurt because of me.

I went crazy when I saw what Pein did to her, I couldn't help it. I turned into Kyuubi, I almost had nine tails and even at the brink of losing myself, all I could picture in my head was her, standing in front of me. She knew she couldn't defeat Pein, she _knew _he would try to kill her. I felt so helpless, so useless.

And then she said she loved me.

And I was torn between utter happiness and despair. I had wanted her to love me, to love me for so long, ever since I had realised what she meant to me. Then I despaired, because Hinata was shy, she got embarrassed easily and to say something so heartfelt and surprising must have taken all her courage. Courage that a person would have if they were about to die. I despaired because she was getting ready to die, to die for me.

I never wanted anyone to die for me.

So I laid there, pinned down, unable to move and I watched her stand in the way of my murderer. She stuttered once.

She was perfect.

I loved her so much.

I went crazy at the sight of blood pouring from her mouth, eyes lidded with pain and Kyuubi came roaring to the surface. His thoughts were mine, his power changing my body, burning the skin off but I didn't care, I didn't care because we were both thinking _'Kill, kill, kill, kill.'_

When I returned and the village cheered for me, I looked for her. But Sakura came up, the girl I used to love, who I still loved as a sister, and she took all my attention. I couldn't find Hinata, I wanted to find Hinata, I needed Hinata. But it got so hectic, so many things happened and I haven't seen her, I have touched her.

I haven't responded to her stuttered confession.

She must think I don't remember, that I don't feel the same. But I do, I do. Sakura says I have tunnel-vision, that I'm so focused on Sasuke. I love Sasuke, even after all he's done. He's my best friend, my brother. But right now, because he has caused the Raikage to call a meeting to chase him down and kill him, I'm away from Konoha and a part of me hates Sasuke for it.

He's so selfish sometimes, so, so selfish. Because I'm trying to save him I haven't seen Hinata since she saved my life, since she told me she loved me. I need to be in Konoha, I need to be holding her beautiful face between my hands, to be gazing into those lilac eyes and tell her I love her.

I want to hear her say it again, with or without a stutter. I want her to say it so many times that it's the only thing I dream of when I go to sleep at night.

Not that I'm not dreaming about it already.

But the point is, I'm happy and I'm angry and I'm feeling guilty because Hinata made such a public declaration of love and I haven't been able to say what I feel in kind. I haven't been able to scream from the rooftops that I am in-love with Hyuuga Hinata, that she is the one woman who I want to spend the rest of my life (however brief or long my life as ninja may be) with her.

It's simple really. Just like me. I'm a simple guy and I've found the perfect girl who loves me with all my faults, with my idiocy as Sakura would say.

Hinata gave me a stuttered confession of love and I want to tell her I love her too.

With or without my own stutters.


End file.
